Northfields Cook Book Club is still going strong, the Facebook page is gathering new members and i’m hoping for a big turn-out at the next meeting which is going to be a Vintage Tea Party fundraiser for The Children’s Society, and the theme, shall be CAKE!
If you’re local to West London and fancy joining us it’ll be
Thursday 5th September, 8pm
Venue: The Clocktower Cafe, Hanwell
Bring along:
- £5 donation
- your favourite cake recipe to share with the group (bring the book or a print-out to read from)
- and if you have time bake a cake too
Look up Northfields Cook Book Club on Facebook if you want to join the group – new members extremely welcome – especially if they have recipes to share!
So in the meantime here’s a cook book review from one of the club members… Lucy Lovell from Vanilla Frost shares her thoughts on the Caldesi’s latest title…
The Amalfi Coast
By Katie & Giangarlo Caldesi
Published by Hardie Grant Books
£25
Who is it for?
People who love fresh, flavoursome Italian food, and are prepared to make a little bit of effort.
Easy to follow
Yes, the recipes seem reasonably straightforward and are written clearly. I made pasta dough using the recipe in the book and used this to make the lemon ravioli in butter and mint sauce, and didn’t come across any problems. The meal took a long time to prepare, but was worth the effort as it was absolutely delicious. A few of the recipes, such as calzone and ricotta gnocchi, are accompanied by step-by-step photographs, which are a real help.
Photopraphy/styling
This is a stunning book, beautifully styled and very evocative. There are lots of lovely photographs of Italian food, people and scenery. My only criticism would be that not every recipe is accompanied by a photograph of the finished dish. Personally I love to see a picture of what I’m aiming for, and would happily swap a few of the photographs of Italian pavement cafes for more pictures of the actual food.
Most likely to cook
The ravioli was top of the list for me as my pasta machine has been neglected for some time now, and the flavours really appealed to me. As a baker I am also very keen to try out some of the cake recipes. The chocolate and almond cake looks very tempting, as does the pear and ricotta tart.
Least likely to cook
As a vegetarian with two unadventurous children, there are certain recipes that won’t be making it to my kitchen table. Lobster spaghetti and cheese stuffed anchovies would be two of those.
Would you buy it for a friend?
Yes I would. In fact I may do just that tomorrow.
Rating out of 10
This is a gorgeous book, with plenty of appealing recipes. I would however like to see more photographs of the food. It covers many different types of Italian cooking, including soups, breads and antipasti as well as pasta and pizzas. There is rather a lot of fish, but a good selection of cakes and desserts too. I would give this book 8 marks out of 10, although I suspect that I am perhaps being a little mean. It’s certainly one I would love to have on my shelf.
Great review – thanks Lucy!
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